fairytale
by fall from stars
Summary: ONESHOT—It’s the greatest lie ever told. [Marluxia & Naminé]


**A/N:** Rewatching the Disney version of _Sleeping Beauty_ + _The Pillowman_'s take on twisted fairytales + the need for manipulative Marluxia makes this. Read and review if you like; it's fun!

**Fairytale**

She was accustomed to stories before bedtime. The girl she was—the girl who was brighter than she was—had been used to them too.

But the castle was abandoned, almost empty, and when Marluxia came in to check upon Naminé, he only heard one thing, one quiet request: "Please…please tell me a story?"

And he had one for her, one he knew she wouldn't like.

He opened his mouth, and began to speak.

---

In a far away land, long ago, lived a king and his fair queen. Many years had they longed for a child and finally their wish was granted.

A daughter was born, and they called her Aurora. They named her after the dawn, for she filled their lives with sunshine.

Then a great holiday was proclaimed throughout the kingdom, so that all of high or low estate might pay homage to the infant princess. Thus on this great and joyous day did all the kingdom celebrate the long awaited royal birth. And good King Stefan and his Queen made welcome their life long friends: their royal highnesses, King Hubert and prince Phillip.

Fondly had these monarchs dreamed one day their kingdoms to unite. Thus today would they announce that Phillip, Hubert's son and heir to Stefan's child would be betrothed.

The three good fairies then arrived: Mistress Flora, Mistress Fauna, and Mistress Merryweather, all with gifts to bestow upon the princess. Flora granted her rare beauty and Fauna the gift of song.

But before the final fairy could give her gift, the dark fairy, Maleficent, who had not been invited, came into the christening with a crash of thunder. She said she, too, would bestow a gift on the child.

She said that the princess shall indeed grow in grace and beauty, beloved by all who know her. But, before the sun set on her sixteenth birthday, she shall prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and _die_.

And though they hid their daughter away for sixteen years, Maleficent cast a spell upon Aurora, and made her prick her finger. But Merryweather's blessing only put her to sleep, and the three fairies resolved to put Stefan's entire kingdom to sleep until Aurora awoke.

Prince Phillip, Aurora's betrothed, had hoped to save her, but he was captured by Maleficent. And while her minions celebrated the downfall of the Prince, Maleficent visited her prisoner.

Philip then learned what Maleficent planned to do: to keep him in the dungeon until he grew unspeakably old, when he would be unable to save him, and while he tried to find a way out of his prison, he never did.

And no one could come for him, not for the prince whose only strength came within. And when a hundred years had passed, she let him go, go to die in the thorns surrounding his rose. And he collapsed underneath the weight, underneath his age, whispering her name with his last breath.

And Princess Aurora slept on for eternity, always dreaming, never to wake again.

And they all lived _happily ever after_.

For you see, true love conquers _all_.

---

He offered her a little smirk, his tale told, his story done.

"N-no," came Naminé's quiet protest.

"_No_?" Marluxia looked at her askance.

"That's not how it should end," she insisted, stronger.

"And what would you suppose _actually_ happened?" he asked lackadaisically.

"H-he comes out of the dungeon," she said quietly. "And he defeats Maleficent. He needs to save her. He needs to save Aurora!"

She clamped a hand over her mouth, realizing how loud she had been. Marluxia only smiled.

"Fairytales are disappointing, aren't they? Now sleep well, little _princess_," he spat. "There's work to do in the morning."

---

And Naminé's sleep was full of nightmares, of a fate that Philip and Aurora shared: to be locked away forever, held against her will, while she grew old and old and the world just spun around without her—while the world spun and she was forgotten.

And when morning came, Marluxia told her that unless she did exactly what he said, she would be locked away in the Castle, forever alone, always, always alone.

And she did exactly what he said, for she knew she could not bear it: to be always alone, to be forgotten and left to waste away in the highest room in the tallest tower.

She did exactly what she said, because she was a good little girl and a good little prisoner and oh, she never ever wanted to be alone.

---


End file.
